Colorado Weather Discussion Thread

**karpiel** · 04-17-2009, 08:17 PM

Just fucking sack up and make it chains/snow tires only in bad conditions on 70 please.

**TommyDeVito** · 04-17-2009, 08:19 PM

CDOT got some stuff to slide on Berthoud tonight, no word where. Today was great, the sluff would ride next to you like a river. Truly a great day, get out there super early tomorrow and kill it, it's gonna be good!

**jon turner** · 04-17-2009, 08:20 PM

Originally Posted by karpiel

Just fucking sack up and make it chains/snow tires only in bad conditions on 70 please.

I always wondered why they don't have that level of restriction. My guess is that they don't want to pay for the cops that would have to be at every exit to enforce it. With how many truckers try to get away with not chaining up, it would be a mess if they didn't have checkpoints.

**Gregger** · 04-17-2009, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by jon turner

I always wondered why they don't have that level of restriction. My guess is that they don't want to pay for the cops that would have to be at every exit to enforce it. With how many truckers try to get away with not chaining up, it would be a mess if they didn't have checkpoints.

Being from CA and spending tons of time in Tahoe, I don't know why they don't throw down the chains only rule here. One thing I have noticed, is that 70 stays open way longer in bad weather than 80 or 50 do getting into Tahoe. 80 and 50 both have the chains only restriction and that doesn't seem to keep them open any substantial amount longer.

**fish** · 04-17-2009, 08:29 PM

im so happy i decided to stay in summit

**BHawkeye** · 04-17-2009, 08:32 PM

Well shit, if 70 is closed tommorrow...may just go 285 to 9 and settle for Breck. Anybody been through Hoosier Pass or Kenosha Pass with first hand conditions? The webcam photos from a few hours ago showed "slightly" plowed roads.

**H0G** · 04-17-2009, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by BHawkeye

may just go 285 to 9 and settle for Breck.

how long(time wise) is that route on a clear day?

**^^^** · 04-17-2009, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by H0G

how long(time wise) is that route on a clear day?

2-2 1/4 hours from Denver. Tomorrow I'd imagine it'll take a good 3-3.5

**funkendrenchman** · 04-17-2009, 08:40 PM

Anyone know if 82 is open from Aspen to the roundabout? Should I leave at 6 AM just to be safe?

**FiveLarge** · 04-17-2009, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by BHawkeye

Damn, nice way to end the season. Since it's gonna be a slush/snow shitshow in Denver tomorrow I'm planning on leaving EARLY...like 530, 6 at the latest to beat everyone and their mom. Plan is either A-Basin, Breck high alpine or Vail/Beav depending on snow reports and road conditions. The consensus is more snow towards the Front Range than west toward Eagle county. Any thoughts? My guess is they'll have 70 somewhat accessible by the morning. One more day on my Lhasa's for the season. Blue DNA coat, Camo North Face pants and 186 Lhasas. Holler.

DEFINITELY go for the Beav. It was redonkulous today.

**BHawkeye** · 04-17-2009, 08:47 PM

Originally Posted by ^^^

2-2 1/4 hours from Denver. Tomorrow I'd imagine it'll take a good 3-3.5

Yep, I'm expecting about a 3 hour drive tommorrow if that's the only option from Denver. As of right now, it's stopped snowing here downtown.

**FiveLarge** · 04-17-2009, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by funkendrenchman

You can take the frontage road or canyon to 70, get off at the Idaho tunnel on the frontage road, take frontage roads to Georgetown and hopefully get on 70 at Georgetown. It has worked in the past. You can even use frontage roads from Silver Plume to Bakersville.

Isn't there a "gap" in there between 6&70 interchange and the Hidden Valley exit?

**funkendrenchman** · 04-17-2009, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by spthomson

Isn't there a "gap" in there between 6&70 interchange and the Hidden Valley exit?

Ya 2 gaps - between 6 and 70 and Hidden Valley and between Georgetown and Silver Plume, but even when I70 is completely closed you can often utilize those stretches of road. From Bakersville through the tunnel is another story.

**PowTrees** · 04-17-2009, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by spthomson

DEFINITELY go for the Beav. It was redonkulous today.

Did you hike Beaver Creek today? Would have been nice to have the mountain to yourself with the lifts being closed...

**BHawkeye** · 04-17-2009, 09:26 PM

Me=idiot. Beav is done.

**Danno** · 04-17-2009, 09:35 PM

CDOT web site says 70 is open, but the estimated travel times has no data. Bert is closed.

**smmokan** · 04-17-2009, 09:40 PM

Funny, I was just looking at that- all the variable message signs say its still closed....

**karpiel** · 04-17-2009, 09:53 PM

And it still says it's closed.

If anyone on 70 needs a semi warm bed tonight in idaho shoot me a PM.

**FiveLarge** · 04-17-2009, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by karpiel

If anyone on 70 needs a semi warm bed...

Not sure what that means exactly...

**spankthepow** · 04-17-2009, 10:17 PM

Just got back to Boulder by way of Central City to CO 119. Power outages, stuck motorists every mile of road in the ditch, even a damn snowplow was stuck in nederland. 5 1/2 hours from Winter Park.

**boulderbrian** · 04-17-2009, 11:18 PM

Yea it was crazy this morning. I left around 6:45 to get to A-basin and ended up there around 9:30. Cars stopped in the road all over the place and many crashes and cars in the side ditch.

And this is long and off topic but just a little warning about travel insurance.

I saw the storm coming a few days ago, thanks to this blog, so I booked a place to keep me from having to drive back and forth from Boulder. I got travel insurance in case it was too dangerous to get here (it is normally the only way you can get a refund). I learned today to NEVER get travel insurance to help with road conditions/adverse weather. I called the insurance company to try and get my money back because I have a friend who said I could crash at his place in Dillon and Vail pass looked really dangerous to drive through (granted they thought I was all the way back in Boulder). The insurance company, Vail Resorts Insurance, told me that unless every single possible road to get to Vail was CLOSED (from boulder) and that I could prove this fact, I probably would have to forfeit the entire cost of the hotel. Considering how dangerous the roads are and how many bad drivers are out there, this means risking my life to drive from Boulder to Vail in a horrible storm or a 99% chance of forfeiting several hundred dollars. What a great choice travel insurance gives you. Props to Vail Resorts for putting its customers in that predicament (and as a college student, several hundred dollars is worth a lot). Sorry for the rant, this just pissed me off and bad word of mouth is the only recourse I have.

**CherryMoon** · 04-18-2009, 01:17 AM

Originally Posted by ^^^

2-2 1/4 hours from Denver. Tomorrow I'd imagine it'll take a good 3-3.5

Took us 3.5hrs tonight to go downtown Denver to Silverthorne via 285, 9, Swan Lake, Silverthorne. 9pm - 1230am. The passes were fine, toughest sections were right at initial climbs into foothills after crossing West of C470. Doing good job plowing. One AWD car, other FWD with snows in the caravan.

At Abasin for first chair for deep diving.

**jgoldsmith729** · 04-18-2009, 05:23 AM

Originally Posted by CherryMoon

Took us 3.5hrs tonight to go downtown Denver to Silverthorne via 285, 9, Swan Lake, Silverthorne. 9pm - 1230am. The passes were fine, toughest sections were right at initial climbs into foothills after crossing West of C470. Doing good job plowing. One AWD car, other FWD with snows in the caravan.

At Abasin for first chair for deep diving.

Headed up from Denver - would love to join you for a few laps 847.226.8119